Biography

In the fall of 1992, three members of the University of Maryland Treblemakers became disillusioned with the group’s all-female format and decided to create the University's first co-ed a cappella group. Thus, in January 1993, Faux Paz was born under the name “The Looney Tunes.” During its first semester, the three founders made the executive decision to scrap “The Looney Tunes” and adopt the name “The Faux Paz” on the basis that no one in the group hated it. The name stuck, and its bilingual French-Spanish translation of “false peace” proved very appropriate for the group, due to its initially tense relationship with the University’s other a cappella groups. Since that first year, Faux Paz has continued to grow in popularity throughout College Park and beyond. The group has travelled all over the country to perform at universities, high schools, and private events in Boston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and everywhere in between. Faux has also frequently competed in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), getting to Finals for the first time in 2015, and again in 2016, this time placing 3rd! In 2017, the group took its first break from the ICCA, and competed in the Boston Sings Festival (BOSS) and won 1st place. Returning to the ICCA's again in 2021, the group took home 1st place, making them the first and only Mid-Atlantic collegiate group to do so. Stay tuned for updates by following Faux Paz on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!